General Guidelines

• If you cannot make your assigned Mass, please call someone to cover for you.
  
  
• In the case of Holy Days of Obligation that occur during the week, the group who was assigned the weekend PRIOR to the Holy Day is responsible for covering any Holy Day Mass that occurs for their time slot. In general, this would apply to the 4:30 pm and 7:30 pm Masses.
  
  
• Please arrive at the church at least 15 minutes before the Mass and help set up the altar. Instructions on how to do that may be found here.
  
  
• After Mass is over, please help pick up the altar area.

Guidelines for Lectors

• The lector’s main function at Mass is to read the first and second readings.
  
  
• If there is no music, the lector is also called upon to lead the congregation in the entrance antiphon, the responsorial psalm, and the communion antiphon.
  
  
• The lector is not to recite the alleluia verse before the Gospel.
  
  
• Remember that you are proclaiming the word of God. Please speak slowly and clearly so that people will understand. Speak directly into the microphone.
  
  
• If the deacon is present at Mass, he will read the Prayer of the Faithful. Otherwise, the lector will do it.
  
  
• Please use the lectionary for the scripture readings.
  
  
• Do not instruct the congregation to sit or stand. Do not mention page numbers in the missalette. The congregation should be listening, not reading, when the word of God is being proclaimed.
  
  
• Check for announcements before Mass, especially the Mass intention.
  
  
• Do not welcome the celebrant or mention his name.
  
  
• During weekday Masses (only) do mention the gathering song number.
  
  
• At Masses where there is no music, the communion antiphon should be prayed immediately after the “Lord, I am not worthy …”
  
  
• Do not say “The responsorial psalm.”  Just read it.

Guidelines for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion

• The EMHC’s main function at Mass is to assist with the distribution of Holy Communion if there are an insufficient number of priests or deacons present to do so.
  
  
• If there are no altar servers at Mass, it would be appreciated (but is not required) if an EMHC could also perform that function. Instructions on what to do may be found here.
  
  
• We require four communion stations at each Mass. If you are in the congregation and see that we do not have enough people to distribute communion, please come up to the altar at the ‘sign of peace.’
  
  
• Immediately after exchanging peace, please go to the tabernacle and bring to the altar any ciboria present there. Remove the ciboria covers and leave them at the tabernacle. Leave the tabernacle door open. Place the ciboria on the ‘corporal.’ This is the small white cloth on which the chalice and other vessels are already placed. This should be completed before we recite “Lord, I am not worthy…”
  
  
• Please stay together with your partner as you walk to the middle station; stand somewhat close together at your station.
  
  
• If you are the front station, bring communion to the side wings after distributing to those who come down the main aisle.
  
  
• If there are only two distributing communion, then we will use only the front stations; if there are three, there will be two down front and one at the middle station. When finished, the EMHC can go to the middle to help out.
  
  
• When finished distributing communion, return to the altar where the priest or deacon will instruct you how to proceed. Return any ciboria that you are given to the tabernacle and close and lock the tabernacle door.
• Please remember to genuflect whenever you open or close the tabernacle door.
  
  
• For weekday masses – everything above is the same, except that there is only one communion station down front.
  
  
• Procedure for distributing the Precious Blood. If you are ever called upon to distribute the Precious Blood, the procedure is as follows: You say “The Blood of Christ.” The communicant says “Amen.” You hand the cup to the communicant. After you receive the cup back from the communicant, wipe the place where he/she drank from and turn the cup before handing it to the next communicant. Any contents remaining after distribution cannot be stored and must be consumed. The easiest and quickest way to do this is for you to simply consume whatever is remaining in your cup and return the cup to the credence table. If you do not wish to do this, then return the cup to the priest/deacon.